Road-map system and apparatus.



LEWIS. ROAD MAP SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, I917.

Patented July 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. W. LEWIS. ROAD MAP SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, I917.

Patented July 16, 1918* FFTQE.

JAMES WRENLEY LEWIS, F BOLEY, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RANZYBOYKIN, OF BOLEY, OKLAHOMA.

ROAD-MAP SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed May 26, 1917. Serial No. 171,122.

citizen of the United States, residing at Boley, in the countyofOkfuskee and State 5 of Oklahoma,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Road-Map Systems and Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention has for an object to provide means whereby tourists onlong trips through strange territory may readily find their way withoutrequiring to be provided with maps of the entire route, and to enablethem to select various routes in the same general direction withoutdanger of bein lostr- The invention is also useful in enab ing theprovision of a means for locating a given route over a greatdistance,without requiring the mapping of a large portion of territorynot involved in following the route, although permitting some latiktudes in alternative roads in given vicinities. A further important aimof the invention is to present desirable means for presenting theinformation and in a systematic manner which will assure proper guidanceof persons going in either direction upon a given route.

A further purpose is to give a desirable construction in means forholding a map in convenient position to be read by autoists or others invehicles, without requiring them to dismount. A further aim is to givesuch a device which will readily enable the emplacement of a map, andwhich will protect it efiectively from the elements.

Additional objects, advantages, and features of invention will appearfrom the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed and particularly shown in the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 isa: portion of amap indicating a part of a general route from the easternUnited Statesto the far West. Fig. 2 is a detail of a map stand, Fig. 3is a detail top vieW of the base portion of the stand,

Fig.4 is a detail of one ofthe maps, Fig. 5 is a detail of the mountingof the protecting cover for the map, Fig. 6 is a detail of theSupporting plate for the map,

Fig. 7 is a top view of the folding box for the map. There isillustrated in Fig. 2 a stand base 10, including the hollow post portion11 suitably set in the ground, and formed with .transverse openingstherethrough, through which a suitable heavy cross bar 12 is inserted toform an anchor. The upper end of the post is provided with branched arms'13, five in-number, one being extended vertically, while the others aredirected outwardly in diagonal fashion, the ends of all the arms beinglocated in a common plane and smoothly finished to receive a planiforng/box element 14 which will be subsequently described in greater detail.The extremities of the diagonal arms 13 are located at the corners of anoblong rectangle, the major dimension of which extends in a direction atright angles to the axis of a hinged cover 15 upon the box 14, so thatin the use of the latter the liability of the box becoming loosened uponthe base will be minmized. The box is circular in plan, and comprises abottom plate having a. circumscribing vertical flange 17 therearoundupon which there is secured a ring 18, projecting inwardly of the flange17 a short distance, to serve as a retainer for the contents of the box.Suit able ears 19 are formed at one side, between which there is pivotedthe hinge knuckle 20 of the lid 15 before mentioned, which is circularinform and of a size to lie snugly over the ring 18 with its edges alinedwith the edges of the ring and flange 17. The fian e 17 is formed at theforward side with a slight rounded proiection '21, and the lid 15 isformed with a spring 22 suitably 9e formed to snap over the projectionand hold the lid yieldably in closed position. Reinovably set within theflange 17 upon the. plate 16, there is a circular plate 23, upon which"there is cemented a map 24, which will subsequently be explained indetail, anda disk 25 of glass is superposed upon the map, this glassalso fitting snugly within the flange 17, the map with its base, and thecovering glass being of a thickness to fall just below the ring 20, sothat the latter will hold them snugly in place and prevent access ofdust around the edges. This result may be assured by laying one or morepieces of paper beneath the plate 23, if necessary. It may be founddesirable to provide some means for limiting the upward movement of thelid 15, whereby it will tend to close, so that the latter may not bethrown backwardly and forgotten, creating the liability in Fig. l. Themap tclude an area within a sirable to provide some .well known gasket.material between the ring 18 and the glass plate 25, this not beingillustrated as it is thought sufliciently obvious.

In use, a plurality of the posts and the boxes assembled as describedare located beside certain highways, as indicated at a, b, c,

at each point will incircle or other boundary that will fallimmediately'adjacent or include the next adjacent points at which one ofthe devices is located, as shown by the circles A, B, C, in Fig. 1. Thestations are preferably located at equal distances apart, on a givenroute and the map so drawn that its boundaries will fall near or includethe next adj acentstatidn in each direction upon the route involved. Inthis way the map displayed at a given station will one half of the routemapped on the next adjacent station, showing the route between therespective stations. This is necessary in order that a person going ineither direction upon a particular route will be able to obtaininformation at each station which will enable him to find his way to thenext one. If desired, the stations may be locatedat closer distancesthan the centers upon which the maps are based, as for instanceindicated at b, I), in Fig. 1, at which points, as well as at the pointb in the figure mentioned, a map such as illustra ed in Fig. 4 will bedisplayed at the station, the area upon this map corresponding to thatwithin the circle B shown in Fig. 1.

The method particularly illustrated herein is especially adapted to usein marking duplicate off a cross country highway or transcontinentalroad, and has been found especially advantageous for such uses. It willbe seen that a method is offered extremely simple and well adapted topopularize American tours making it possible for the public to find itsway without being required to carry maps in unfamiliar territories. Theconstruction of the map casings is extremely simple, and the method andapparatus are adapted to be put into use at a comparatively low cost.

While the maps indicated are based upon centers having a certain spacingwith regard to the actual distances involved, it will be readilyunderstood that these may be spaced farther apart than illustrated, andif desired certain of the maps, especially those in sparsely populatedsections may include a much larger area of territory than others uponthe same route, these being matters of discretion in the utilization ofthe invention.

The map holding devices may be located in small booths built beside theroadway, if desired, as will be readily understood which may be lockedif desired, and keys provided for persons desiring to use the maps.

What is claimed:

The combination of a plurality of maps of certain divisions of terrain,the divisions mapped overlapping, whereby the map of one division willshow one half of each of the next adjacent divisions.

In testimony whereof Ihave afiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES WRENLEY LEWIS. Witnesses:

W. E. HEBERT, H. C. Tenor.

